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US Resumes Foreign Student Visa Applications with New Social Media Requirement

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The US State Department has lifted the suspension on visa applications for foreign students, but with a new condition: applicants must make their social media profiles public to undergo thorough online vetting. This decision comes after a temporary halt in the visa processing on May 28, as the Trump administration reviewed its screening process for foreign students. The administration aims to prevent individuals considered national security risks from entering the country.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US State Department has resumed the processing of foreign student visa applications, but with a new requirement that applicants make their social media profiles public.
  • The updated visa guidance applies to F visas for academic students, M visas for vocational students, and J visas for exchange visitors.
  • Applicants under all three categories must adjust their social media privacy settings to 'public' to facilitate online vetting.
  • The tougher vetting is part of a broader crackdown by President Donald Trump on elite US universities, which he accuses of being politically biased.
  • The administration has proposed capping Harvard's international student intake at 15% and frozen $2.65 billion in federal funding to the institution.
  • Visa applicants who refuse to comply with the requirement to unlock their social media settings may be considered evasive and risk rejection.
  • International students from China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines have been anxiously awaiting visa interviews, closely monitoring visa booking websites and State Department press briefings for updates.
  • The updated visa guidance sends a clear message that the US government will make every effort to make the country safer, according to a senior State Department official.

Statistics:

  • 15%: proposed cap on Harvard's international student intake
  • $2.65 billion: frozen federal funding to Harvard University
  • May 28: date of temporary suspension of visa processing
  • Three categories: F visas, M visas, and J visas subject to the updated visa guidance

Sources:

  • "US Resumes Suspended Visa Process; Students Must Unlock Social Media Accounts" (State Department)
  • "Trump freezes $2.65 billion in funding to Harvard University" (Funding freeze details not specified in source)
  • "Temporary suspension of visa processing" (State Department)

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